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Patients of sickle cell anemia and thalassemia are on the rise, especially in the Tharu community in Banke. 

It was detected during medical screening of sickle cell anemia along with thalassemia in the areas having the majority of Tharu population.

According to the District Health Office, Banke, the number of patients diagnosed with sickle cell has reached 23 in Raptisonari Rural Municipality.

As details of the people examined for sickle cell have yet to be collected from other municipal units, the aggregate number of the survivors has not been ascertained in the district, said Health Office Chief Dhiraj Jung Shah. 

Though free treatment has rendered relief to the patients of sickle cell anemia to some extent, the measure has not relieved the survivors of thalassemia, he further shared. 

It has not been ascertained how many people are surviving with thalassemia. Screening was carried out among the students of grade 9 and 10 of the Tharu community in Raptisonari. It is still ongoing, he shared. 

Some of the patients commented that they have to spend tens of thousands rupees for treatment in private health institutions after complaining of several physical complications. 

The survivors have been facing trouble in their treatment when they were not aware of government-sponsored treatment up to Rs 100,000. 

Ram Krishna Tharu (28) of Raptisonari Rural Municipality-4, Baijapur in Banke said he was not informed of government arrangements for free treatment to the sickle cell anemia survivors. He added he has spent a huge chunk of money for treatment at private hospitals. 

Sickle Cell specialist Dr Rajan Pandey said patients are being compelled to spend tens of thousands of rupees even after their diagnosis. He said blood tests were the permanent solution to the sickle cell anemia. 

Apart from Raptisonari rural municipality in the district, Kohalpur municipality also has witnessed the same health issue. Authorities said the overall situation of the district can be ascertained only after collecting data from all local levels. 

It was shared that 96 people were diagnosed with sickle cell anemia and thalassemia when blood samples of 572 people were tested in a screening camp organized by the health office.

Birgunj transit, the country's main trade transit, has witnessed a surge in exports by a whopping 73 percent to neighbouring India and other third countries in 11 months of the current fiscal year, 2021/22 in comparison to the corresponding period of the previous FY.

As a result, the revenue collection has increased approximately 23 percent, said Sumit Gupta, information officer at the Birgunj Customs Office.

The export amounts in 11 months of the current FY have stood at over 76.55 billion, an increment of over Rs 32.31 as compared to more than Rs 44.24 billion during the same period in the previous FY.

The exported goods included refined soybean oil, palm oil and sunflower oil, fruit juice and clothes, said Gupta.

The customs office collected over Rs 188.78 billion in revenue in 11 months of the current FY, an increment of more than Rs 34.80 billion as opposed to over Rs 153.98 billion during the same period in the previous FY.

Minister for Education, Science and Technology Devendra Paudel has said the government has accorded first priorities to carry out reforms in public school.

"Now, education sector is in short of 10.95 percent budget. The government is committed to strengthen public education. Policies, programmes and budget have been prepared based on the 15th period plan. Technical and vocational training, skill development and reforms in higher education have been prioritised in them," he said.

The minister was responding to queries raised at the ministerial-wise deliberation under the Appropriation Bill, 2079 at today's meeting of the National Assembly.

The line ministry has in the budget for the next fiscal year, 2022/23 prioritised infrastructure development in education sector and educational quality enhancement and legal reforms, he said.

Pledging to resolve problems in education including that of quota adjustment and increment in the next FY, the minister said the government plans to make education skillful and applicable so as to create job opportunities.

CPN (Unified Socialist) Chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal has said that his faction’s revolt from the CPN-UML in defence of democracy was justified for the cause of the country and people.

Addressing the party’s central committee meeting on Saturday, Chairman Nepal described that the leaders’ revolt from the UML was waged to ensure political system against totalitarianism and individualism in a communist party.

Chairman Nepal, who is also the former prime minister, said communist parties are popular among the citizens in the country since they did not bow down before the external forces in the issues of nationality adding that the communist parties unite the people in favour of patriotism and democracy. He also directed the party leaders and cadres to fight for the same by keeping democracy and issues of people’s livelihood at the centre.

We are guided by people’s multiparty democracy to accept the norms and values of democracy, he added.

On the occasion, Chairman Nepal expressed his reservation to the allocation of seats to his party from the ruling alliance in the recently held local level elections but underscored the need of strengthening party organisation to secure more seats in future.

Chairman Nepal has presented a 34-page political report in the party’s ongoing central committee meeting.

Heavy rains are expected in some places across the country today.

According to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, monsoon winds are prevailing in Province 1, Madhes, Bagmati, Gandaki, Lumbini and Karnali, while local winds and westerly winds have a general effect in the Sudur Paschim province.

The department has forecasted light to moderate rain with thunder and lightning for the next 24 hours in many parts of the hilly areas of the country and in a few places in the rest of the country. Heavy rains are also expected in Gandaki, Karnali and Lumbini.

Currently, there is light to moderate rain with thunder and lightning in some places of Province 1, Bagmati, Gandaki, Lumbini and Karnali. 

According to the Weather Forecast Division, the minimum temperature in Kathmandu Valley today is 20.4 degrees Celsius and the maximum temperature is 29.3 degrees Celsius.

The Hungary Airlines' Wizz Air is gearing up to spread its wings in the Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa from coming September.

The second international airport in the country officially came into operation on May 16, marking the Buddha Purnima. Currently, Jazeera Airways has been operating its flight at the Airport.

Various international airlines are eager to launch their services from the newly operated international airport in the country. Towards this, Wizz Air will roll out its 190-seat capacity aircraft known for its spaciousness, according to Wizz Air's Nepal's official dealer GSA Society International Travel Chairperson Ravi Chandra Singh.

The ultra low cost Airlines will operate fights from and to Bhairahawa and Abu Dhabi, added Singh. The Hungary-based Airlines -Wizz Air-is penetrating Nepali's sky with its Airbus 321 Neo Series aircraft, first aircraft of this model to fly in Nepal's sky, claimed Wizz Air.

Singh shared, "Tourism is the basic alternative in our country. We are planning to launch and expand our services in Nepal by targeting religious tourism."

Nepal have been eliminated from the 2022 ACC Women's T20 Championship underway in Malaysia after its semi-final against the United Arab Emirates was cancelled during the second innings due to rain.

Following this, Nepal's opportunity to play in the Women's Asia Cup has ended.

After winning the toss, Nepal invited UAE to bat first. With the intent to book a place in the Asia Cup, Nepal bowled it in a style with much vigour.

Nepal restricted UAE to 81 runs in 19.5 overs at the loss of all wickets. But rain intervened before it came out to bat, resulting in the cancellation of the match. So as per the rule of tournament, UAE, the group stage winner with good scores makes it to the final. So it has booked a place in the Asia Cup.

Nepal could take an advantage of the impressive bowling of Ashimina Karmacharya, who took five wickets single handedly. Similarly, Indu Barma picked up three wickets and Sita Rana two.

Categorised into Group 'B', during the group stage, Nepal won three matches against Bhutan, Kuwait and Bahrain and conceded a defeat against Hong Kong.

Home Minister Balkrishna Khand has seen off the Haj pilgrims who are leaving for Mecca Medina, Saudi Arabia.

Home Minister Khand reached Tribhuvan International Airport this morning and bade farewell to 113 pilgrims.

The government had allocated seats to 555 persons for Haj pilgrimage this year. While seeing off the pilgrims, Minister Khand said that the government treats and respects all religions equally.

The tradition of Haj pilgrimage has made Nepal known to the world, which the Minister believed would foster fraternity.

General Secretary of Nepali Congress Mahendra Yadav and Chairperson of Nepal Haj Committee, Shumsher Minya had also reached the airport to bid farewell.